19.5 kW AIKO Solar and a 48 kWh Sigenergy Battery in the Lismore Hinterland: Case Study

A 19.475 kW AIKO solar system, a 12 kW Sigenergy hybrid inverter, a 48 kWh Sigenergy battery with six battery modules and a Sigenergy Gateway for blackout backup, for a hilltop home in the hinterland between Lismore and Bangalow.

Our own in-house team designed and installed the system in March 2026.

See if you qualify · Call 0483 903 020

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The job

A weatherboard home on a hilltop in the hinterland between Lismore and Bangalow, with water tanks, a big corrugated roof and long views over the farmland. The household wanted a very large battery for long outages and a lot of solar to fill it. The battery stack went on a level concrete base against the wall, more than 5 m from the switchboard, and the 41 panels went across the main roof faces.

What we installed

• Solar: 41 AIKO Neostar panels (475 W each), 19.475 kW in total
• Inverter: a 12 kW Sigenergy single-phase hybrid inverter
• Battery: six Sigenergy battery modules, about 48 kWh of storage (48.36 kWh, 46.8 kWh usable)
• Blackout backup: a Sigenergy Gateway with a generator input
• Smart load control, monitoring and app training

How it went

We met on site before install day to agree the battery position, the concrete base and the longer cable run, check the switchboard and RCBOs, and confirm what stays on in a blackout. The six-module stack stands on the base against the weatherboards with its safety signage fitted. On the roof, the panels went on in straight rows. Then came monitoring set-up, grid connection and a sign-off call.

Solar and batteries in the hills around Lismore

Hilltop homes between Lismore, Bangalow and Clunes often sit at the end of long power lines, so big batteries and blackout backup are common requests. Nearby, see a GoodWe battery at The Channon and a 24 kWh Sigenergy battery in Bangalow.

How every job like this runs

1. Free energy assessment from one or two recent power bills, or a quick phone call on 0483 903 020.

2. Custom design sized from the household’s real usage, with the federal Cheaper Home Batteries rebate and solar STCs taken off at point of sale. We handle the paperwork. See your rebates or try the battery rebate calculator.

3. Face-to-face site visit before install day: compliant battery position, switchboard and RCBO check, and agreement on what stays on in a blackout. No surprises on the day.

4. Install, usually one day, by our own electricians. No subcontractors. Then monitoring set-up, grid connection and a sign-off call.

Warranties

Every new install from us now comes with a 10-year battery warranty, 10-year inverter replacement, 25-year panel performance and our 25-year workmanship warranty on our installation work. Equipment is covered by the manufacturer warranties.

The federal battery rebate steps down on 1 January 2027 and again on 1 July 2027, based on install date. If a battery is on your list, it’s worth getting your assessment done early.

Questions we get asked

Why does the battery need a concrete base?

A tall battery stack has to stand on a level, solid base. On this job the household laid a level concrete base before install day, as agreed on the site visit.

Can the battery be a long way from the switchboard?

Yes. Here the battery and inverter are more than 5 m from the switchboard, so the design allowed for the longer cable run. We plan cable routes on the site visit.

Who needs 48 kWh of storage?

Homes with high evening and night use or who want long backup in the hills, where outages can last. This one was sized from the household’s own power bills. See battery sizing.

What happens when the grid goes down?

The Sigenergy Gateway switches the home over to the battery and solar. A typical install backs up the whole home unless you ask us to leave circuits out. See blackout backup batteries.

Thinking about solar and a battery?

We’re based near Mullumbimby and install across the Northern Rivers. See solar and batteries in Lismore and Bangalow, or compare Sigenergy, GoodWe and Sungrow, Solax and Tesla.

Get a free energy assessment · or call 0483 903 020

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More from Sun Connect Solar: your rebates; battery rebate calculator; customer reviews; FAQ; recent installs: 6.65 kW solar and 9 kWh Sigenergy battery, Mullumbimby · Solar and a 24 kWh Sigenergy battery, Mullumbimby area · 8.4 kW Jinko solar and 24 kWh Sigenergy battery, Ocean Shores · all recent installs.